Thousands of small fishing boats were damaged by the tsunami on 26 December. The UN asked DNV for its assistance in Sri Lanka, to ensure the quality of repairs and newbuildings. This will help tens of thousands of afflicted fishermen in the country.

The UN’s FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) has been requested by the government of Sri Lanka to assist in the repair and reconstruction of the Sri Lankan fishing fleet. These range from 15-foot canoes to 60-foot boats, and thousands of boats have been damaged.

Øyvind Gulbrandsen, a UN representative in Sri Lanka says: “We know of DNV’s considerable experience in this field. The UN foresees an immediate need to establish a quality control system for both repairs and construction of fibre reinforced plastic boats in this nation – where fishing is an important trade.”

The DNV work has been paid for by DNV itself – free of charge to the UN.